The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Walkthrough & Strategy Guide

Published: Jan 24, 2006

Side Quests

Welcome to the wonderful world of side quests. Here you'll find information
for every side quest, temple, ruin, and little cave that we find in Oblivion.
Choose which section you'd like to go to
from the table below. The Side Quests sections are listed alphabetically by
quest.

Location: Talk to Agronak Gro-Malog in the basement of the Bloodworks
at the Arena.

Hagronak Gro-Malog will give you his key and ask you to travel to Crowhaven
and unlock the truth for him regarding his heritage. Crowhaven can be reached
most easily by fast traveling to Anvil and then walking north. Once inside,
you'll be attacked by some foul creatures, but the path is straightforward.
When you come to an iron gate that you can swing open, you have your first
choice of directions. Going through the old wooden door on the right will lead
to the burial chamber where two vampires are waiting to attack you. Go through
the other way on the left and use the key that you were given.

Once through the door, you find Lord Lovidicus. He apparently wants to eat
you and he's quite strong. Luckily, he has no armor and only attacks with a
dagger. As long as you have sturdy armor and a shield, you shouldn't have
too much trouble laying him down. Once you do, walk to the bedroom and look for
his journal. Read it and then take it as proof to bring back for Agronak. For
your trouble, he'll give you training that is nothing to scoff at. You'll get a
permanent Fortify Block, Athletics, and Blade boost of 3.

Imperial Corruption

Location: Imperial City, Temple District
Speak with an Orc named Luronk gro-Glurzog or a Redguard named Ruslan and they'll start going on and on about a corrupt Imperial Watchman. He doesn't know who it was, but it happened at Jensine's Merchandise in the Market District. Go there to see if you can attach a name to this guard.

Jensine verifies the story and identifies the Imperial Watchman as Captain Audens Avidius. You're told that only another Watchman can arrest him. Your job now is to find that brave Watchman. Talk to any guard in the city and ask about the Corrupt Watchman. They'll tell you that they can't help you, but that
maybe Servatius QUintilius will. He is the new captain who seems like he might try to shake things up.

When you catch up with Servatius during his rounds (follow your compass, he moves a lot), he forwards you on to Itius Hayn. Itius is willing to help you, but due to the severity of the crime, he'll need two witnesses. Don't bother going back to Jensine -- she won't help. Luronk and Ruslan will. After you talk with them, wait a day and then go find Itius. Talk to him to complete the quest. You may have to wait a while after you talk to him for your journal to actually update as a completed quest. There is no reward for this other than an increase in Fame.

The Killing Field

Location: Chorrol
Speak to Valus Odiil once you have the rumor about his sons. He'll tell you that he is concerned about his sons who are prepared to fight some creatures who have been showing up
outside of town. Agree to help and then go meet the two men outside of town near Weynon Priory.

Talk to either Antus or Rallus and tell them that their father isn't coming but that you have agreed to help. They'll immediately start walking towards the Odiil Farm. Fall in line behind them. When you arrive, they'll stop in the middle of the garden. Line up next to them and wait for the enemies. Three waves of three Goblins will show up. This won't be any problem for any character, especially with the two brothers helping you out. Once the Goblin waves are defeated, the journal will update telling you to return to Chorrol.

Back in Chorrol, follow your compass to find Valus. Talk to him about his sons and, since you kept them alive, he'll reward you with the Chillrend. This is a fairly powerful sword that does Frost Damage as well as causing a Weakness to Frost on strike.

Knights of the White Stallion

Location: Castle Leyawiin
You may only begin this quest after completing the Mazoga the Orc quest. Talk to Count Marius Caro about being named a Knight-Errant. He'll tell you that he needs you to kill the Orc named Black Brugo, the chieftain of the Black Bow Bandits. Once you have the quest, go talk to Mazoga and tell him about the Count's offer. Mazoga immediately offers to help and even has a plan. Tell her to follow you when you're ready to head out.

Head off for the ruin of Telepe which can be found to the northwest of Leyawiin. When you arrive, a few Bandits will be waiting for you outside. Don't forget to look on the roof of the ruin as there might be an archer camping up there. Take them down and heal up your party.

The room immediately to the right upon entry holds two Bandits, a chest with some gold and an Ayleid Cask holding some potions. The room on the left holds a locked chest with some gold, a Welkynd Stone, and a switch that will open the gate to the next area of this dungeon. Press it and continue down through the steps where you came in. Inside you'll find another locked cask, this one holding a handwritten note. It tells of Brugo and a midnight meeting. Mazoga will also confirm that he'll show up at that time. They'll actually probably just show up a short while after you've taken out the first set of enemies.

The fight against Black Brugo and his underlings can be tough, especially on Mazoga. If you're having trouble keeping her alive, you can always lock her in the back room that requires a switch to be pressed to open it. She'll be safe back there while you do your business. Make sure you fight the mage first so that you get rid of her and any conjured enemies she brings. Grab all of the high level equipment (and all of the Black Bows) from the dead Bandits and go back to Castle Leyawiin. Report your deeds to the Count

Talk to the Count about Black Brugo and tell him that Brugo is dead. You'll be named a Knight-Errant in the Knights of the White Stallion. This novelty award can be viewed on your Factions screen in the journal. You'll also get the Leyawiin Shield, which isn't very good, and the White Stallion Lodge Key. Talk to the Count again and ask him about Black Bows. You'll be able to turn each one in that you brought back from the battle for 100 gold. You can also bring any other Black Bows you find back for an additional 100 gold each. Go tell Mazoga the Orc the good news about how she's now a Knight-Errant. She'll be thankful and tell you that she'll probably see you at the White Stallion Lodge. Speaking of which, go take a look at the lodge. There isn't much there, but you can use it as a house if you want.

Lifting the Vale

Location: Bruma
Once your fame hits the double digits, take a walk around in Bruma and a man named Tolgan will seek you out. He comes from Countess Narina Carvain and gives you a small amount of money to tempt you into meeting with her. Accept the request for a meeting and go to the castle to see what she wants.

The Countess is looking for a certain Akaviri relic called the Draconian Madstone which she believes to be in the ruins called Pale Pass. The trouble is that she doesn't know where Pale Pass is. To help you find your target, you're given a translated portion of a messenger's diary which should give you
clues as to how to find Pale Pass. She also gives you a map and a key to help you. The first marker is given to you. Head northeast out of Bruma and follow the trail until you arrive at Dragonclaw Rock.

At Dragonclaw Rock, your journal will update telling you to look at the diary to learn where to go next. The section where Dragonclaw Rock is mentioned also tells you that the messenger headed west from here along a path.

Walk due west from Dragonclaw Rock while keeping an eye out for the large statue that is mentioned next in the diary. You'll come to the Sentinel at which point your journal will update again. The next clue in the journal is to go north. Your compass should have a cave marked on it. That's your target.

Inside Serpent's Trail, your journal updates once more letting you know that you'll have to make your way through this cave if you want to find Pale Pass. If you're low on supplies, you may want to travel back to a town now. You're going to have to make it through two difficult dungeons before this is all over.

The first cave, Serpent's Trail, houses a few chests and traps along with various animals. The real difficulties are the ogres that inhabit the region (you should have expected them from reading the diary). They'll try to block your progress straight through this impossible to get lost in tunnel. Partway through, you'll come across the dead messenger that wrote the diary. In his hand is a stone tablet that you need to take with you. Don't forget it!

Once you make it outside again, you'll have to fight several more of these Ogres before you reach the ruins you're
looking for. Keep following the path to the north until you find a ruined tower and your journal updates.

Inside of Fort Pale Pass, you'll be attacked by Akaviri undead creatures. These cursed soldiers are still trying to defend this fort as they await news of reinforcements. They'll keep coming at you and are fairly difficult to take down. If you're finding this section excessively difficult, you can try running past them. The ruin is fairly expansive, though you won't be able to get lost in it. When you come to a room with arrow traps, look for a lever to press which will bring down a drawbridge. Cross it and enter the next room where you'll find an apparition waiting for you. This is the commander of the Akaviri. Talk to him and deliver the message you picked up on the tablet. He will commend you and all of the enemies will stop fighting as he disappears. Now that the fort is calm, you can easily look for the amulet you came for.

The next room has a small altar. On top of it is the Draconian Madstone. This necklace does a 50% resistance to both Poison and Disease. Pick the locks on the chests here to get some leveled treasure and then make your way out of the fort and back to Castle Bruma. Deliver the amulet to the Countess and she'll reward you with the Ring of the Vipereye. This artifact will give the wearer a +10 fortification on Agility and 15% resistance to magic constantly.

Mazoga the Orc

Location: Castle Leyawiin
Mazoga is an odd Orc that can be found in the waiting room of Castle Leyawiin. When you first talk to her, she'll simply ask if you're the count. No matter your response, she doesn't want to talk to you. Ask one of the guards about her and you'll be directed to the Count himself. Seems he has wanted this little matter to be looked into.

The Count of Leyawiin will tell you about how he is wondering why Mazoga is there if you ask him about the Service to Leyawiin. Now that you've spoken to the Count about the issue, go back to Mazoga. You'll now be able to tell her that the Count sent you. Do so, and she'll begin asking you for help, but not after she tells you how to properly address her.

Mazoga wants you to fetch Weebam-Na. He can be found in his shack on the far side of town. Tell him that you want him to go talk to Mazoga and he'll agree. If he doesn't, bring his disposition up. Follow him back to the castle.

After Weebam-Na and Mazoga talk, ask Mazoga if that is all she needs. She'll tell you that Weebam-Na refuses to take her to Fisherman's Rock. The task falls to you. Mazoga makes it clear that you are to take her there and NOT attack anyone until she talks to them first.

Fisherman's Rock is north of Leyawiin close to the main road. A group of four shady looking characters are there waiting for you. Mazoga will walk up to their leader and tell him that he is going to die for killing her friend. As soon as she is done talking, a fight breaks out. Help Mazoga kill the rest of the bandits. She is pretty tough, so the fight shouldn't be too difficult. When everything calms down, Mazoga tells you to help yourself to the goods off of the dead bodies of the bandits. Take what you will and go back to Castle Leyawiin. Talk to the Count and he'll thank you for performing the service. The quest to become a Knight-Errant is now available from the Count. Continue reading about this tale under the Knights of the White Stallion side quest.

No Stone Unturned

Check into the Imperial Bridge Inn on the north bank of the Silverfish River and find the elf named Lithnilian. He'll tell you that his notes were lost in a nearby cave. Travel to the cave, find the notes, and bring 'em back. Simple enough, right?

The Bramblepoint Cave is very nearby. Make the trek over and head inside to encounter an array of nasty baddies. The cave is pretty large with many sections. Look for hatches on the floor that'll let you into the later sections of the cave.

At the very end of the cave is a glowing pile of rocks and, to the right, a bed with a chest at the head. Open the chest and you'll find Lithnilian's research notes. Grab 'em, then return to Lithnilian at the inn to receive your reward. (He gives you some Potions of Sorcery.)

Order of the Virtuous Blood

Location: Imperial City, Temple District
If you wander around the Imperial City long enough, Ralsa Norvalo will approach you. She'll ask you to go see her husband at Seridur's house after you agree to help. Go there and speak to Seridur. Follow him down to the basement where he'll tell you that
he's part of a group called The Order of the Virtuous Blood. They are dedicated to keeping the Imperial City safe from all vampires and would like your help.

Seridur tells you that Roland Jenseric is a vampire and he is preying on the townfolk. It is your responsibility to take him out. Start by searching his home nearby in the Temple District. Once you enter, the journal will update telling you to look for clues. Walk over to the table on your left and look for a book amidst the table settings. On top of the book is a note that you must read. It will update your journal and tell you to go to Roland Jenseric's cabin.

Roland's cabin is east of the Imperial City. Inside, talk to him about vampires. He'll tell you that he isn't one, but Seridur is! You can choose to believe Seridur and kill Roland, but Roland really is a good guy so you shouldn't. Instead, follow his advice and go to the First Edition Bookstore in the Market District. Talk to Phintias in the bookstore and he'll tell you that Seridur makes regular visits to Memorial Cave, also east of the Imperial City.

When you enter Memorial Cave, your journal will update telling you that this is a vampire's nest. Be careful in here as it is literally infested with vampires. Work your way through the dungeon and kill every vampire, making sure to take their Vampire Dust once you down them. At the end of the tunnel, you'll find Seridur. Attack and kill him and your journal will update.

Head back to Roland's cabin and tell him that you've killed Seridur. Roland decides that he wants the Order of the Virtuous Blood to continue, even though Seridur was evil. Go back to Seridur's house and head down to the basement. You'll find Roland there. Talk to him and he'll reward you with the Ring of Sunfire which does a Resist Disease 35% and Reflect Spell 25%. You can also return to Roland at any time with Vampire Dust and turn them in for a 250 coin reward. Just talk to Roland about vampires with the dust in your inventory and you'll be given the money.

Paranoia (Good Path)

While wondering through the town of Skingrad, you may be approached by an
elf named Glarthir. He will ask you to meet him behind the Great Chapel at
midnight. Be at the back of the chapel (southeast end of town) around midnight
to meet with Glarthir and he'll tell you that he thinks people are plotting
against him. He'll then ask you to watch a woman named Bernadette Peneles who
lives across the street from Glarthir. You can watch the woman if you want, but
it's not necessary. Just fast-forward time to the following night and meet with
Glarthir at the same place again.

Now you can lie to Glarthir and tell him that he is in fact being
spied on, or you can tell him the truth and let him know that he's not. Either
way, he'll ask you to watch another two city dwellers in the same fashion, one
per day. Continue waiting to pass the time and update Glarthir each night. On
the last night of the quest, after having reported on the actions of three
"spies," Glarthir will take action. If you told him the truth (that no one is
spying on him), he'll think you've turned on him and will attack you with an
axe. You can either kill him or simply run away to let a nearby guard kill
him.

RewardOn the second and third nights of the quest, Glarthir will reward you with
150 gold (300 total).

Paranoia (Evil Path)

Play through the Paranoid (Good Path) quest, but when Glarthir asks if the people were watching him, tell him that one of them was. He'll still pay you the reward for tracking them, but at the end of the quest, he'll give you list of people he wants killed. On the list will be each of the three people that you told Glarthir
were following him.

You now have two options. You can kill the person or persons as Glarthir wants. If you kill every one of them and return to Glarthir, he'll give you a reward of 1000 gold. The second option is to turn Glarthir in. Talk to a guard or one of the people on his list of death and let them know that Glarthir is looking to have people killed. They will immediately go kill Glarthir, leaving his body for you to loot.

The Potato Snatcher

Location: Faregyl Inn
Travel to Faregyl Inn, south of the Imperial City. There, talk with S'jirra the Khajiit. She'll tell you that someone has been stealing her Jumbo Potatoes and offers a reward for their safe return. She tells you to head west to look for the culprit.

Outside, you'll only have to follow your compass a little ways to the west before you run into an Ogre. Kill it and search the Ogre's body. You'll find your Jumbo Potato stash, just as S'jirra requested. Take the 5 Jumbo Potatoes and return to Faregyl Inn. Talk to S'jirra about it and she'll reward you with 5 of S'jirra's Famous Potato Bread. This bread is worth 30 gold and can be used in alchemy. It has the effects of Detect Life, Restore Health, Damage Agility, and Damage Strength.

Raid on Greyland

Talk to Legion Guard Lerexus Callidus outside of the western gate of Leyawiin. He'll tell you that he's trying to catch a Skooma dearly that's holed up nearby. Follow your compass arrow to the Greyland settlement, a small home just a few dozen yards away. As you enter the home, be ready for a fight.

The target, Kylius Lonavo, has a marauder body guard with him. Fighting the two of them inside the small building can be difficult. We recommend starting the fight and then retreating outdoors to give yourself more breathing room. There's a small wall in front of the Greyland settlement that serves as a good obstacle for the baddies. You can jump over the wall but they can't.

When Lonavo is dead, search his body for his ring. Return to Lerexus Callidus and he'll give you a reward in exchange for the jewelry.

The Renegade Shadowscale

To get this sidequest you must first join the Dark Brotherhood. Speak with Teinaava and he'll ask you to kill a fellow Shadowscale, Scar-Tail. Scar-Tail can be found at his open-air camp at the southeast end of the map. Travel to Leyawiin and head east along the coast to find the camp.

You can talk with Scar-Tail to learn that he's already been badly wounded by a previous assassin. It's your choice to actually kill Scar-Tail or to spare his life in exchange for his secret. The Argonian's secret is the hollow rock next to the campfire. Inside the rock you'll find a decent stash of gold. If you opt to spare Scar-Tail's life, look for the dead assassin whose body is at the base of a nearby tree. Grab that Argonian's heart and return to Teinaava.

Teinaava will be oblivious to your deception and will reward you just the same as he would if you had actually killed Scar-Tail.

Revenge Served Cold

Go to Harm's Folly, a small farmhouse northeast of the Imperial City (on your map, it's just above the "N" in "Heartlands"), and speak with Corrick Northwode (he's outside his home around 10:00 AM). He'll tell you that goblins invaded his home and killed his wife while he was out. Corrick wants revenge.

The goblins are in a mine just southwest of the farm. Be prepared to fight a long, hard battle through the mine. We recommend coming equipped with lots of repair hammers. The Jade Amulet, which is what you're after, is found at the very end of this long mine. There are about four separate areas within the mine, and in each one are loads of goblins.

If you're so inclined, you can actually complete this quest very easily. Just turn invisible and run through the mine without attacking any enemies. At the very end of the mine is a dead-end and the goblin netherboss. Kill the netherboss (he's pretty weak) and grab the Jade Amulet. Return to Corrick and he'll reward you with some flawless diamonds.

The Rosethorn Cache

Location: Skingrad
After you purchase the expensive Rosethorn Hall in Skingrad, go up to the top floor and look for a deer head mounted on the wall. If you run around to the right side, you'll find that you can
jump up to the ledge above the deer head by using the storage shelves as a step. On top, you'll find the Long Forgotten Note. Read it to begin this quest.

The note has a cryptic message, but it really won't help you out much even if you do solve the riddle. Walk down to the basement and look for the beam that has garlic cloves hanging from it. Wedged in between the rafters and the ceiling is an hourglass. Activate it and you'll finish the quest. For your small trouble, you'll get 2 Flawless Diamonds, 2 Flawless Emeralds, 2 Flawless Sapphires, and the Ring of the Gray. This little bauble will give you a +5 fortification in Sneak, Security, Marksman, and Acrobatics. It also gives you Detect Life for 50 feet and Resist Poison 50%.

Seeking Your Roots

If you see a sparkling blue-green plant, pick it up. Chances are you've found a rare Nirnroot plant and started the Seeking Your Roots quest. After you've nabbed the first root, go speak to any alchemist in Cyrodiil (one can be found in the Market District of Imperial City). You'll then be referred to Sinderion, an alchemist that dwells in the cellar of the West Weald Inn of Skingrad.

Talk to Sinderion and he'll ask you to find even more Nirnroot samples. Bring back 10 Nirnroots and he'll make for you a weak Elixir of Exploration. Unfortunately, that's not the end of it. Sinderion has three more levels of elixirs he can make, and he'll ask for more and more Nirnroots every time you you've brought him another delivery. To complete this quest, you'll need to have collected a total of 100 Nirnroot samples. One hundred!

Nirnroots are almost exclusively found where water is. They're usually along the banks of rivers, nestled between rocks and out of sight. Nirnroots can also be found in some caves and inside some homes. If you're listening very carefully, you can hear a faint chime that lets you know a Nirnroot is in sight.

Separated at Birth

In Chorrol, you'll hear rumors that a local resident has been seen in Cheydinhal. Go to Cheydinhal and look for a man named Guilbert Jemane. Talk to him and you'll discover that he is the twin brother of the Reynald you'd heard about in Chorrol. Upon learning of his brother's residence in Chorrol, Guilbert will run to Chorrol to meet him.

Travel to Chorrol and you'll find the two brothers together in a local tavern. Talk to Guilbert and he'll thank you, effectively ending the Separated at Birth quest. However, there's more to do with the Jemane brothers...

Legacy Lost

Speak with Guilbert and he'll tell you about his family's old home, Weatherleah. Talk to residents of Chorrol and ask about Weatherleah and they'll refer you to Sabine Laul of the Fighters Guild. Head to the Fighters Guild and find Sabine, who'll mark on your map the location of Weatherleah.

Head south to Weatherleah and you'll find the residence "overrun" with ogres. In fact, there are only three ogres in the area. You can return to Guilbert to update him on the situation, or simply kill the three ogres. With the residence cleared, return to Chorrol and speak with Guilbert. He'll ask you to lead the brothers back to Weatherleah, at which time they'll thank you and end the quest. However, there's yet more to do with these brothers...

Sins of the Father

Wait a few days after returning the brothers to Weatherleah, then head to Chorrol and walk around. You'll soon be approached by Fathis Ules who'll tell you about the Jemane brothers' father, Albert Jemane. Fathis tells of an item that Albert stole long ago but never turned in for his reward.

Fathis marks on your map the location of Redguard Valley Cave. Go to the cave, just outside Weatherleah, and find the ogre chieftan inside. Defeat the ogre chieftan and you'll find that he's carrying the Honorblade of Chorrol. Grab the Honorblade, then leave the cave.

You've got some options once you've secured the Honorblade. You can return the blade to Fathis for a reward of 1,000 gold, though this is by far the worst of the three choices. Another choice you have is to return the blade to Laythe Wavrick at the Castle Chorrol Great Hall. He'll reward you with the Escutcheon of Chorrol, a great shield that reflects a percentage of every bit of damage you take. The effectiveness of the shield varies with your character's level. If you earn that shield at a high level, 35% of all damage you take (whether blocking or not) will be reflected.

Needless to say, we recommend returning the sword to get the awesome Escutcheon of Chorrol shield instead of giving the blade to Fathis Ules. However, there's a third choice you can make. You can keep the Honorblade of Chorrol for yourself. Excluding the powerful Umbra Sword, the Honorblade of Chorrol is the most powerful sword we've found in the game. Not only is it a great blade, but it's also completely weightless since it's a quest item.

Here's our best advice: Keep the Honorblade of Chorrol, at least for now. When you're ready, complete the Clavicus Vile Daedric Shrine quest to acquire the Umbra Sword. Once you've got the Umbra Sword, return the Honorblade of Chorrol to Laythe Wavrick in exchange for the Escutcheon of Chorrol. You'll then have an awesome sword and an awesome shield.